Treasury

Financial Services Update

Rishi Sunak: Leaving the EU means the UK has taken back control of the rules governing our world-leading financial services sector. The UK has always championed and remains committed to the highest international standards of financial regulation. The financial services sector plays a crucial role in supporting the wider economy, creating jobs across the UK, supporting SMEs, contributing taxes, driving regional growth and investment, tackling climate change and embracing technology and innovation. The UK's financial services sector has also been at the forefront of our response to the economic impact of COVID-19, extending more than £35 bn of credit to provide fundamental support to businesses and offering crucial forbearance on mortgages and consumer credit products. Frontline staff have worked to keep bank and building society branches open throughout the pandemic, ensuring that people all across the UK could access the vital financial services they need.The future success of the UK financial sector will be underpinned by a world-class environment for doing business. In turn, our future legislation will be guided by what is right for the UK, to support economic prosperity across the country, to ensure financial stability, market integrity and consumer protection, and to continue to ensure the UK remains a world leading financial centre. An enduring future relationship with the EU would help complement the UK’s leading global role in financial services. The Government continues to believe that comprehensive mutual findings of equivalence between the UK and the EU are in the best interests of both parties and we remain open and committed to continuing dialogue with the EU about their intentions in this respect.There are now a range of important regulatory reforms in the process of being implemented at the international and European level that the UK needs to address before the end of the Transition Period on 31 December 2020. The purpose of this WMS is to set out how the UK intends to approach these, as well as a limited number of discrete areas for review to ensure relevant regulations remain appropriate for the UK financial sector. Today I would like to update Parliament on how the UK intends to approach these in the immediate term.Last year, HM Treasury launched the Financial Services Future Regulatory Framework Review, a long-term review looking at how the UK’s regulatory framework needs to adapt to the future and in particular to the UK’s position outside of the EU. The next phase of the Review will look at how financial services policy and regulation are made in the UK, including the role of Parliament, the Treasury and the financial services regulators, and how stakeholders are involved in the process. HM Treasury will consult on its approach to the next phase of the Review in the second half of this year.In the Queen’s Speech on 19th December 2019, the Government also announced its intention to bring forward a Financial Services Bill in order to deliver a number of existing government commitments and to ensure that the UK maintains its world-leading regulatory standards and remains open to international markets. The Financial Services Bill will deliver our commitments to: long-term market access between the UK and Gibraltar for financial services firms based on shared, high standards; and simplified process which allows overseas investment funds to be sold in the UK.In general, consistent with the UK’s position as a major international financial hub, the Government intends to implement immediate reforms in line with existing expectations of the industry and the approach of the EU and other international partners where relevant. Naturally there will be some defined areas where it is appropriate for the UK – as a large and complex financial services jurisdiction - to take an approach which better suits our market, while remaining consistent with international standards.Today’s announcements provide clarity to all stakeholders about the UK’s legislative plans for the near future in relation to these forthcoming reforms, in relation to updating prudential requirements; maintaining sound capital markets; and, managing future risks.Updating Prudential RequirementsThe features that distinguish the UK as a leading global financial centre – openness, safety and transparency, innovative and resilient markets – are also in part anchored in international standards for financial regulation that the UK has had a significant hand in designing. Through organisations such as the G20, Financial Stability Board (FSB), and the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, the UK has led the way in a number of key reform areas. Harmonised international standards are key to promoting the openness and resilience underpinning the UK’s sector.The UK played a pivotal role in the design of EU financial services regulation. The Government remains committed to maintaining prudential soundness and other important regulatory outcomes such as consumer protection and proportionality. However, rules designed as a compromise for 28 countries cannot be expected in every respect to be the right approach for a large and complex international financial sector such as the UK. Now that the UK has left the EU, the EU is naturally already making decisions on amending its current rules without regard for the UK’s interests. We will therefore also tailor our approach to implementation to ensure that it better suits the UK market outside the EU.The Government has previously announced its intention to use the Financial Services Bill to legislate to enable the implementation of a new prudential regime for investment firms and to update the regulation of credit institutions, including the implementation of the international Basel III standards. HM Treasury has today set out more detail on our legislative approach to prudential regulation in the document “Prudential standards in the Financial Services Bill: June update”. In particular, the Government intends to introduce updated prudential standards in a flexible and proportionate manner, as called for by industry and the House of Lords EU Affairs sub-committee. The Government intends to do this by delegating responsibility for firm requirements to the relevant regulator – the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) – subject to an enhanced accountability framework to ensure that the regulators have regard to competitiveness and equivalence when making rules for these regimes. Both the PRA and the FCA will set out further details on the substance of the proposed regimes in due course.To minimise uncertainty, the Government and the Regulators propose to introduce the new Investment Firms Prudential Regime (IFPR) and updated rules for credit institutions in line with the intended outcomes of the EU’s Investment Firms Regulation and Directive, and the second Capital Requirements Regulation respectively For the IFPR, the June update further clarifies that the Government and the PRA do not intend to require PRA-designated investment firms to re-authorise as credit institutions, unlike the EU regime. It also clarifies that the Government does not intend to require FCA-regulated investment firms to comply with the requirements of the Fifth Capital Requirements Directive (CRDV) in the period until the new IFPR applies. A consultation on our transposition of CRDV will take place in July.During the Transition Period, and under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the Government will implement EU legislation that requires transposition before the end of 2020. This includes the transposition of the Fifth Capital Requirements Directive (CRDV), and the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive II (BRRDII) by 28 December 2020. BRRDII makes amendments to the original 2014 Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (BRRD) provisions, in order to update the EU’s resolution policy and Minimum Requirements for Own Funds and Eligible Liabilities (MREL) framework.However, HM Treasury is considering how best to implement aspects of files that do not come into force until after the 31st December 2020. Given some of these changes do not come into force until the UK has left the Transition Period, it is right that the UK exercises its discretion when implementing these files.For example, while we are committing to transposing most aspects of BRRDII, HM Treasury has considered how to ensure that it suits the UK market and we have today published a consultation document setting out more detail on this. In our transposition of BRRDII we are not intending to transpose the requirements in the Directive that do not need to be complied with by firms until after the end of the EU Exit Transition Period, in particular Article 1(17) which revises the framework for MREL requirements across the EU. MREL is the minimum amount of equity and debt that a firm must maintain to absorb losses and provide for recapitalisation, in the event of resolution. The purpose of MREL is to ensure that investors and shareholders, and not the taxpayer, absorb losses when a firm fails. The UK already has in place a MREL framework in line with international standards. BRRDII states that the deadline for institutions and entities to comply with end-state MREL requirements shall be 1 January 2024. Given this is after the end of the Transition Period, it is right that the UK exercises its discretion about whether to transpose those requirements.The Government also plans to bring forward a review of certain features of Solvency II to ensure that it is properly tailored to take account of the structural features of the UK insurance sector. The review will consider areas that have been the subject of long-standing discussion while the UK was a Member State, some of which may also form part of the EU’s intended review. These will include, but are not limited to, the risk margin, the matching adjustment, the operation of internal models and reporting requirements for insurers. The Government expects to publish a Call for Evidence in Autumn 2020.Maintaining Sound Capital MarketsUnder the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the Government will implement EU legislation that comes into force before the end of the Transition Period. The EU is in the process of implementing a range of provisions on capital markets, with some aspects applying before and after the end of the Transition Period. HM Treasury has considered how to take forward this legislation in the way that is to the benefit of the UK sector, while maintaining high regulatory standardsThe Government is committed to regulation that supports and enhances the functioning of UK capital markets. It will therefore consider the future approach to the UK’s settlement discipline framework, given the importance of ensuring that regulation facilitates the settlement of market transactions in a timely manner while sustaining market liquidity and efficiency. As such, the UK will not be implementing the EU’s new settlement discipline regime, set out in the Central Securities Depositories Regulation, which is due to apply in February 2021. UK firms should instead continue to apply the existing industry-led framework. Any future legislative changes will be developed through dialogue with the financial services industry, and sufficient time will be provided to prepare for the implementation of any new future regime Additionally, the UK will not be taking action to incorporate into UK law the reporting obligation of the EU’s Securities Financing Transactions Regulation for non-financial counterparties (NFCs), which is due to apply in the EU from January 2021. Given that systemically important NFC trading activity will be captured sufficiently through the other reporting obligations that are due to apply to financial counterparties, it is appropriate for the UK not to impose this further obligation on UK firms. In addition to these measures set out above, HM Treasury will continue to maintain a global outlook on regulatory best practices, regardless of where those practices come from. This approach will continue to be guided by a commitment to maintaining high standards and achieving the same or better prudential outcomes as today, in the way that works best for the UK. HM Treasury plans to set out further detail on upcoming legislation in due course, which will include:Amendments to the Benchmarks Regulation to ensure continued market access to third country benchmarks until end-2025. HM Treasury will publish a policy statement in July 2020;Amendments to the Market Abuse Regulation to confirm and clarify that both issuers and those acting on their behalf must maintain their own insider lists and to change the timeline issuers have to comply with when disclosing certain transaction undertaken by their senior managers (‘Persons Discharging Managerial Responsibilities’);Legislation to improve the functioning of the PRIIPs regime in the UK and address potential risks of consumer harm in response to industry and regulator feedback. HMT will publish a policy statement July 2020; andLegislation to complete the implementation of the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (REFIT) to improve trade repository data and ensure that smaller firms are able to access clearing on fair and reasonable terms.Managing upcoming risksHM Treasury has today also published a written ministerial statement relating to LIBOR transition. The statement sets out detail on the Government’s approach to legislative steps that could help deal with ‘tough legacy’ contracts that cannot transition from LIBOR before end-2021. In particular the Government will use the Financial Services Bill to introduce amendments to the Benchmarks Regulation 2016/1011 as amended by the Benchmarks (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (the ‘UK BMR’), to ensure that FCA powers are sufficient to manage an orderly transition from LIBOR.

Financial Services Regulation

Rishi Sunak: The Working Group on Sterling Risk-Free Rates (RFRWG), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Bank of England published joint statements on the 25th March[1] and 29th April[2] relating to LIBOR transition. These statements underline the need for firms to continue to migrate away from LIBOR as a reference in their financial contracts and reiterate that firms cannot rely on the benchmark’s continued publication as the current voluntary agreement between the FCA and LIBOR panel banks will expire after end-2021 (as announced in 2017[3]). The Government has followed these and related global regulatory developments closely, including the Tough Legacy Taskforce report[4] published by the RFRWG. The Government shares both the regulators’ pragmatism in recognising the interim timetable for transition has been slowed by Covid-19 and their urgency that the market must continue actively transitioning away from LIBOR. It is in the interests of financial markets and their customers that the pool of contracts referencing LIBOR is shrunk to an irreducible core ahead of LIBOR’s expected cessation, leaving behind only those contracts that genuinely have no or inappropriate alternatives and no realistic ability to be renegotiated or amended. The Government recognises, however, that legislative steps could help deal with this narrow pool of ‘tough legacy’ contracts that cannot transition from LIBOR. Unlike many jurisdictions, the UK has an existing regulatory framework for critical benchmarks such as LIBOR. The Government therefore intends to legislate to amend and strengthen that existing regulatory framework, rather than directly to impose legal changes on LIBOR-referencing contracts that are governed by UK law. The legislation will ensure that, by end-2021, the FCA has the appropriate regulatory powers to manage and direct any wind-down period prior to eventual LIBOR cessation in a way that protects consumers and/or ensures market integrity. The Government therefore intends to:Amend the UK’s existing regulatory framework for benchmarks to ensure it can be used to manage different scenarios prior to a critical benchmark’s eventual cessation. In particular, the Government will introduce amendments to the Benchmarks Regulation 2016/1011 as amended by the Benchmarks (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (the ‘UK BMR’), to ensure that FCA powers are sufficient to manage an orderly transition from LIBOR.Extend the circumstances in which the FCA may require an administrator to change the methodology of a critical benchmark and clarify the purpose for which the FCA may exercise this power. New regulatory powers would enable the FCA to direct a methodology change for a critical benchmark, in circumstances where the regulator has found that the benchmark’s representativeness will not be restored and where action is necessary to protect consumers and/or to ensure market integrity.Strengthen existing law to prohibit use of an individual critical benchmark where its representativeness will not be restored, whilst giving the regulator the ability to specify limited continued use in legacy contracts.Refine ancillary areas of the UK’s regulatory framework for benchmarks to ensure its effectiveness in managing the orderly wind down of a critical benchmark, including that administrators have adequate plans in place for such situations. The Government intends to take these measures forward in the forthcoming Financial Services Bill. Following engagement with industry and global counterparts, the FCA will, where appropriate, issue a number of statements of policy relating to its approach to a range of new powers provided by the legislation before it exercises those new powers. The FCA may consider, among other factors, international impacts before exercising its new powers, given LIBOR’s global usage. The Government agrees with the RFRWG’s Tough Legacy Taskforce that active transition of legacy contracts remains of key importance and provides the best route to certainty for parties to contracts referencing LIBOR. Parties who rely on regulatory action, enabled by the legislation the Government plans to bring forward, will not have control over the economic terms of that action. Moreover regulatory action may not be able to address all issues or be practicable in all circumstances, for example where a methodology change is not feasible, or would not protect consumers or market integrity. This reinforces the importance of parties who can transition away from LIBOR doing so on terms that they themselves agree with their counterparties. The Government, the FCA and the Bank of England will continue to work closely to encourage market-led transition from LIBOR and to monitor progress. [1] https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/impact-coronavirus-firms-libor-transition-plans[2] https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/further-statement-rfrwg-impact-coronavirus-timeline-firms-libor-transition-plans[3] https://www.fca.org.uk/news/speeches/the-future-of-libor[4] https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/files/markets/benchmarks/paper-on-the-identification-of-tough-legacy-issues.pdf?la=en&hash=0E8CA18F27F75352B0A0573DCBBC93D903077B6E

Department for Transport

Safeguarding Directions for High Speed 2 Phase 2a

Andrew Stephenson: Motions to revive the High Speed Rail (West Midlands – Crewe) Bill, known as the Phase 2a Bill, have now been passed in each House, and the Bill was re-introduced on 3 March. I look forward to the progression of the Bill as it nears its final stages. I am today publishing revised Safeguarding Directions for the whole of the Phase 2a route. These Safeguarding Directions reflect the amendments (and therefore land requirements) which have been made to the hybrid Bill by the House of Commons as it passed through Select Committee. Through these revised Safeguarding Directions, the Government has protected land that we anticipate at this stage will be needed to build Phase 2a of HS2 and where there may otherwise be a risk of conflicting development. Planning restrictions put in place following the issue of previous Safeguarding Directions have been removed where we no longer expect to need that land. Crucially, issuing revised Safeguarding Directions gives people affected more clarity on the route and allows eligible property owners to access statutory blight compensation. Under the statutory blight regime, qualifying property owners are able to apply to sell their home or small business to the Government from the time that their property is subject to Safeguarding Directions. In addition to statutory blight compensation, the Government has implemented a package of non-statutory property compensation schemes that go above and beyond what is required by law. The schemes are open to qualifying property owners across the three phases of the HS2 route including Phase 2a. They will be in place until one year after each phase of HS2 is operational. I want to ensure that those living near the route receive the right support at all stages of the project and that those affected are properly compensated and treated with compassion, dignity and respect. Copies of these Safeguarding Directions will be laid in the both Libraries of the House. Information on HS2 property compensation schemes are available at:https://www.gov.uk/claim-compensation-if-affected-by-hs2



Safeguarding Directions for High Speed 2 Phase 2a
(PDF Document, 163.48 KB)





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Department for Education

Student Support in England

Michelle Donelan: I am today confirming the eligibility rules for EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals, and their family members, who wish to commence courses in England in the Academic Year starting in August 2021. Following our decision to leave the EU, EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals will no longer be eligible for home fee status, undergraduate, postgraduate and advanced learner financial support from Student Finance England for courses starting in academic year 2021/22. This change will also apply to Further Education funding for those aged 19+, and funding for apprenticeships. It will not affect students starting courses in academic year 2020/21, nor those EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals benefitting from Citizens’ Rights under the EU Withdrawal Agreement, EEA EFTA Separation Agreement or Swiss Citizens’ Rights Agreement respectively. It will also not apply to Irish nationals living in the UK and Ireland whose right to study and to access benefits and services will be preserved on a reciprocal basis for UK and Irish nationals under the Common Travel Area arrangement. EU, other EEA and Swiss students, staff and researchers make an important contribution to our universities. I want that contribution to continue and am confident – given the world-leading quality of our higher education sector – that it will.  


This statement has also been made in the House of Lords: 
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